Self-opening and self-closing dispenser



Aug. 23, 1960 w. s. BERRY SELF-OPENING AND SELF-CLOSING DISPENSER FiledMarch 11, 1958 FIG.1

FIG.3

FIG.4

INVENTOR WILLIAM S. BERRY AT ORNEY: v

SELF-OPENING AND SELF-CLOSING DISPENSER William S. Berry, P.0. Box 205,Anchorage, Ky.

Filed Mar. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 720,650

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-92) The present invention relates to dispensers whichare self-opening and self-closing whereby paste-like orsemisolidmaterials may be dispensed at will without the necessity of firstopening the dispenser as by unscrewing a protective cap or closure andwithout the necessity of closing the dispenser after use to protect thecontents of the dispenser from deteriorating or being otherwisedeleteriously effected by the atmosphere, e.g., by drying to becomeunduly rigid.

The invention particularly relates to flexible dispensers and even moreparticularly to dispensers which comprise a container constituted bythin metal walls which are sufliciently flexible to permit squeezing ofthe container and which are not resilient (accepts a dead fold) so thatthe container is always filled with paste and becomes progressivelysmaller as the container is emptied.

The invention especially relates to metal tubular containers such as arecommonly used for tooth paste but which tubes are also used in commerceto package various pastes and creams such as hair creams, jellieddetergents, oil paints, pigment pastes, suntan lotion, medicinal creams,etc. As is well known, these conventional metal tubular containers areconstituted by a cylindrical tube closed at one end by a threaded capreceiving member and, at the other end by the folding and crimping ofthe cylindrical tube, this folding and crimping being normallyaccomplished after the tube is filled. As is known, the cap must beremoved before the tube can be squeezed to dispense paste therefrom.After use, the cap must be replaced or the contents of the tube adjacentthe cap receiving opening will become hardened or spoiled. This removaland replacement of the cap is a nuisance. Further, the cap is small andis frequently misplaced or lost. The invention by eliminating the needfor a cap provides a substantial advance in the art.

it will be understood that the cap may be removably secured by frictionor other means instead of by the threaded attachment which has beenreferred to above to provide an illustration of the prior artdeficiency.

In accordance with the invention, a dispenser comprising a flexiblecontainer is provided with an outwardly flaring generally circulardischarge opening within which is seated a conical plug. Resilient meanssecured to the interior of the container at a point on the containerapproximately opposite the discharge opening therein is fastened to theplug in a manner effecting a pull on the small end of the conical plugtoward the discharge opening. When the flexible container is squeezed orotherwise distorted, the plug is moved away from its seat in thedischarge opening against the tension of the resilient means by thepressure applied to the paste so that paste is dispensed through theannular space between the plug and the seat formed by said plugmovement. When squeezing is discontinued the resilient meansautomatically returns the closing plug to its seat so that dispensing issimply a matter of squeeze and release it at ent 2,950,027 PatentedAug.- 23, 1960 ice being unnecessary to have a cap or other permanentlyseparable closing member.

The invention will now be more fully described, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings in which the invention is illustrated inconnection with a preferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section taken through an illustrativetooth paste tube;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view of the internally positionedresilient member which, in the form illustrated is a strip of rubber;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view illustrating the expression of pasteupon application of squeezing force to the body of the flexible tubeand, the self-opening action of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the re lease ofsqueezing pressure and the self-closing action of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the closing plug;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the closing plug; and

Fig. 7 is-a partial sectional view of the discharge portion of the tubeshowing a preferred construction in which guide fingers are employed tofacilitate proper alignment of the closing plug.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 10 designates a conventional tubulartooth paste tube having a cylindrical body 11 made of metal. The forwardend of the tooth paste tube terminates in a portion designated theforward closure 12 having a discharge opening 13 at its forward end. Thedischarge opening 13 is formed with a plug-receiving seat 14 which ispreferably circular and tapers outwardly to enable a goodseal to beobtained with the exterior surface of an outwardly tapering conical plug15. The plug 15 tapers outwardly in a forward direction so that theforward end 16 is larger in diameter than the trailing end 17.

Secured to the plug 15 is a resilient member 18 which is preferablyconstituted by a strip of elastic material such-as rubber. Otherresilient means can be used such as a coiled spring. The rubber strip 18is under tension and extends rearwardly from the plug through the bodyof the tube 10 and is secured to the tube 10 at a point generallyopposite to the discharge opening 13 thereof. The point of securement isat the rear of the tube 10 which, in the form illustrated is constitutedby clamping the trailing end of the rubber strip 18 in the folded andcrimped rear end of the tooth paste tube identified by numeral 19.

The folding and crimping operations, as is conventional, are preferredafter filling the tube 10 with paste, designated 20.

The rubber strip 18 is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises an elongated body21 and an enlarged forward head 22 which is employed to form preferredsecurement with the plug 15 as will later more fully appear.

In Fig. 3, a squeezing force illustrated by arrows 23 is being appliedto the body 11 of the tube 10. This squeezing force is transmitted tothe paste 20 which acts upon the plug 15 to move plug 15 forwardly awayfrom the seat 14 to open an annular space 24 between the exteriorconical surface of plug 15 and the seat 14. The squeezing pressure thenexpels a cylinder of paste identified by numeral 25 through the annularspace 24. The shape of paste cylinder 25 will vary with the rigidity ofthe paste itself and it may partially or completely close as illustratedin Fig. 3 to form a ribbon of paste.

When squeezing pressure 23 is released or discontinued, the metal tuberemains partly collapsed and the pressure in paste 20 is relieved byremoval of paste through the annular space 24. With paste pressurepartially or completely removed, rubber strip 18 takes over and itsinitial tension returns the plug 15 to its seat 14 to provide anautomatic closing action. The closed position is illustrated in Fig. 4where a ribbon of tooth paste 25 is shown severed from the tube 10 by.the closing action of plug 15' against seat 14 eifected by the tensionof rubber strip '18; The tooth paste 25 is shown deposited upon thebristles B of a toothbrush T It will be observed-that the toothpaste 25has been cleanly severed from the forward or discharge end of the tube10. To achieve this, the forward enlarged and 16 of the plug 15 isdimensioned to fit the seat 14 so that the closed position of the plugshown in Figs. 1 and 4, the plug 15 is flush with the forward end of thedischarge opening 12 which is the seat 14 thereof.

A preferred securement between the plug 15 and the rubber strip 18 isillustrated in Fig. 2 where enlargement 22 at the forward end of rubberstrip 18 is laterally slid into the enlargement 26 of the lateralchannel 27.

The structure of the plug 16 may be more fully seen in Figs. and 6,where it will be evident that strip 18 can be inserted laterally whereasit will resist longitudinal separation after insertion becauseenlargement 22 cannot fit through the channel 27.

The illustrated securement is not a limiting feature of the inventionbut is preferred for economy and ease of manufacture. The strip 18 canbe united within plug 15 by making plug 15 of plastic and casting theplastic about the forward end of the strip. Numerous other suitablesecurements will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

In Fig. 7 as well as in Fig. 1, discharge opening 13 includes aplurality (such as 3 or 4) inwardly directed guide fingers 30 which abutthe exterior surface of the plug 15 at spaced points around thecircumference thereof intermediate (e.g., midway) the length of theplug. As will be understood abutment or substantial abutment of thefingers 30 with plug 15 occurs when the plug is in the closed position.These guide fingers 30, which may be referred to as pins, are desirablymolded integral with the tube and function to hold the conical plug incorrect alignment to provide a proper seal with the seat 14. Theinclusion of fingers or pins 30 is particularly preferred when the tube10 is distorted and the guiding action of the fingers 30 is desirablypresent to insure a proper seal.

A supplemental closure of conventional type may be used but it is notnecessary and if to provide additional protection during long periods ofstorage prior to sale, may be thrown away by the purchaser.

The invention is defined in the claim which follows.

I claim:

A self-opening and self-closing dispenser for pastelike and semi-solidmaterials comprising a flexible container formed of thin walled materialhaving a closing crimp at one end and a discharge opening at theopposite end, said discharge opening comprising an outwardly flaringseat, an outwardly tapering conical plug conforming in externaldimensions to the inner dimensions of said seat and effective to sealsaid discharge opening when said plug bears against said seat, theforward end of said plug being enlarged to bring the forward end of saidplug flush with the upper surface of said seat when said plug is inclosed position in said seat, said plug being provided at its rearportion with a longitudinal channel midway through said plug andextending from an opening at the rear of the plug to the middle of theplug, an enlarged opening at the middle in communication with saidchannel at the middle of the plug, a tensioned elastic strip secured tothe rear end of said tube by said crimp and provided with an enlargedforward end, said strip being dimensioned to slide into said lateralchannel and engaging by linking at its enlarged forward end with saidenlarged opening and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apartinwardly directed guide fingers positioned in said discharge opening andsub stantially abutting the exterior surface of said plug intermediatethe length thereof when said plug is in its closed position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,901,982 Pardue Mar. 21, 1933 1,907,353 Guenther May 2, 1933 1,945,872Tappe Feb. 6, 1934

